6 Meetings with Students
by Diary
Summary: Set during PoA, Sirius comes across various students while in animagus form. Complete. Edited slightly.


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

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5. Theodore Nott

A pale boy appears, shoulder bag hanging loosely off him.

Sirius watches closely as he looks around, eyes landing on him. He frowns, not coming any closer, and asks, "Are you a professor in animagus form?"

For a brief moment, Sirius panics, his ears involuntarily drawing back, before he remembers Minerva is a registered animagus, and when he was in school, she had a tendency to sit quietly in cat form, waiting until someone slipped up to reveal herself. He imagines she still utilises the same tricks.

The boy seems to take his panicked reaction as proof he isn't human, standing very still, hand slowly going towards his pocket. Sirius lets out a sigh and scratches his ear before lying down, which seems to puzzle the boy.

Finally, he takes a tentative step backwards.

Then, however, something unidentifiable crosses his face. "Look," he says, voice soft, "I won't hurt you. Just don't hurt me, okay?"

Carefully, he walks past Sirius, stopping at the Black Lake and sitting down.

Sirius wanders over, lapping up the water, watching as the boy brings his bag to his lap. He's a Slytherin, Sirius notes in distaste. A third-year, and that brings a pang, reminding him of Harry and how he'd always promised James he'd be the one to buy Harry a broom as a first year present. Tall and weedy, his hair is a reddish-blond colour and his eyes are silvery-blue.

He watches in fascination as bottles of liquor, one after another, are withdrawn from the bag. Eventually, the boy stops, and Sirius counts ten in total.

Glancing, over, he frowns when he sees Sirius looking at him.

"Why are animals so judgemental," he wonders, not sounding particularly concerned. Beginning to pour the bottles out, casting a cleaning charm each time, presumably to get all the liquor out, he continues, "It's odd. The theory is that beasts don't have moral compasses. They have instincts, and sometimes, they develop a fondness for different species. Yet, I've met many animals, both magical and ordinary, that seem to have moral codes of a sort."

Sirius edges closer, lying down and watching as, each time the boy pours a bottle out and cleans it, he refills it with water from the lake, muttering a purifying spell and reclosing the lid, placing it back in his bag.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm trying to help someone." The boy hesitates, and Sirius gets the feeling he's usually very private, never confiding anything important to anyone, unless necessary. It reminds him of Remus, makes him sick as he remembers how his mind somehow twisted his friend's reserved nature for that of a traitor.

"Professor Trelawney can be so interesting," the boy says, almost too quiet to hear. "And she's so- I mean." He shakes his head. "I'm talking to a dog."

A huff escapes him, part laughter at the boy's indignation and part self-pity for himself.

Putting the last bottle back in his bag and closing it, the boy turns slightly. Sirius looks up at him, head on his paws.

"I usually don't care how people look," the boy says, glancing around. "It seems stupid. But Professor Trelawney is _fit_."

The Sybil Sirius remembers was a stick. She wasn't just slim, she literally formed a straight line, save for two tiny bumps in the chest area, when she stood straight. Gangly, frizzy, wild hair that rivalled James's, and huge glasses that reminded him of a dazed owl and made him wonder how she didn't fall over when she put them on. Unless some things have drastically changed, he judges this boy to have very odd taste in the female sex. Either that, or he has unrealised tastes towards his own.

"Well, you're a dog," the boy says, reasonably, as if realising Sirius isn't going to take his word for it. "I'm not unrealistic, you know," he says, seriously. "I just- This is something I can do. It won't matter, but it's something."

Reaching over, Sirius puts a paw on the boy's leg,

Nodding, the boy reaches down and gently squeezes it. "T-thank you," he says. "I don't know how much you understand, but it was nice talking to someone, even if they can't talk back. I need to get back."

He lifts the paw, setting it down, and then, stands up, heading back to the castle.

4. Oliver Wood

A shining light wakes him up.

"Oh," the owner says, his accent a heavy brogue. The light moves, out of his eyes, and the voice says, "Sorry, pup. Thought you were Percy, sleeping out here."

Sirius sits up, eyes adjusting. The boy is average height and burly. He seems to be polishing a broomstick. Perhaps, breaking into the broom shed to sleep wasn't a good idea. After all, how many times did he and James break in and fly around the grounds? A few times they even decided to fly all the way to Hogsmeade.

He walks over to where the boy's sitting.

"Wouldn't put it past Flint to have Malfoy hex our brooms or enchant theirs. I won't let them," the boy says, determinedly. "This is my last shot. 'Sides, Black wouldn't be stupid enough to go against Dumbledore."

Peter will die for this.

Then, the boy starts talking about his game strategy for the next game.

From what Sirius can gather, the boy is the Gryffindor captain. Sirius is briefly excited that information about Harry might come out, but fifteen minutes in, he falls fast asleep, the boy's lectures about the game too boring to pay attention to for any longer.

3. Blaise Zabini and Penelope Clearwater

A black cat meows piteously from the a shaking branch on the Whomping Willow, and Sirius wonders if this is a cruel prank being played on the owner, brief guilt coursing through as he remembers Snape, or if the cat has a sadistic owner. He looks around, realises in frustration there are too many people within eyesight, and then, steels him, determined to get to the knot before the cat is killed.

"Immobulus!"

He freezes, though not due to the spell, and then, carefully turns.

Two students, not seeming to see him, walk closer to the tree. One is a Slytherin boy, third year, tall and black with almond-shaped eyes, and the other, the spell caster, is a petite Ravenclaw with curly hair and glasses, sporting a Head Girl badge. The boy goes under the branch while the girl keeps her wand firmly aimed at the tree, lips already silently moving.

"Yumiko, come down," the boy orders.

A pitiable meow is the cat's only response.

"Come on," the boy insists, impatiently. "Your mummy is wretched at duelling, and not that I blame her, but she's going to try to hex Nott if she comes back to the dungeons and finds you missing."

When the cat still refuses to come, the boy turns to the Ravenclaw. "Head Girl Clearwater, can you summon a broom?"

"A broom?" She pales. "That's too dangerous!"

As they argue, Sirius wonders why they don't just summon the cat down. He supposes he can't be too hard on them; after all, he and James used to come up with elaborate, complex plans, and whenever Remus or Peter would point a simpler way, often more efficient, always much safer, after the embarrassment at being revealed to not have even considered such an obvious answer dissipated, they'd often go right along with their original plan.

"I understand," Clearwater says, "but you're not even on the Quidditch team."

"And your boyfriend's youngest brother isn't on the chess team, but he managed to beat that giant chess board during our first year," the boy responds, irritably, as Sirius begins walking towards the tree, hoping the spell doesn't wear off.

It's been a long time since he climbed up a tree in animagus form, but he still has the skill.

Once he reaches the cat, he tries to catch her eye, prevent her from attacking, let her know he's an ally, but she merely crouches down, sticking her neck out.

He deposits her at the boy's feet and quickly disappears inside the willow.

The cat nudges against the boy's leg, meowing, and both teenagers look down.

2. Luna Lovegood

Sirius is inclined to be fond of the girl simply because he automatically recognises her.

Luna Lovegood, daughter of Xenophilius.

Frank rescued her and her family from a group of violent Cornish pixies, and while the parents were being interrogated as to why they had been in a known Dark area, Frank had brought the month old baby over to headquarters, absolutely in love with her. He hadn't been the only one, either. Little Neville had been toddling around, looking for the leprechaun clovers Dumbledore had hidden around the house, when his father had scooped him up, and sat him down, carefully placing baby Luna in his lap.

'Mine,' Neville had declared, forgetting the clovers, talking to Luna in baby language.

Augusta had wanted a picture, but there were no cameras around. Sirius wishes someone had gone to get one.

Both toddler and baby had cried when it was time for Luna to be returned to her parents, but Frank had assured both they'd see each other again soon.

It turned out, though, that the Lovegoods were already making plans to go to Ireland, and the baby and toddler had only gotten a small handful of future meetings.

More than Luna, Sirius remembers her father. Meda was fond of him, and the other students often talked about all the things he'd done. He was an odd bloke, cross-eyed and prone to talking about bizarre things, rarely seen without his notebook and muggle pens.

She truly is the spitting image of her father, he reflects.

Not crossed-eye, she nevertheless has his silvery-gray eyes, hair a few shades darker than his, though hers is bushy while his was straight, skinny and short. It wasn't until he was about nineteen that he started going through his growth spurt.

"Hello," she says, voice airy, as she kneels down in front of him. "You look very nostalgic."

Withdrawing an apple, she offers it to him.

As he's eating, she tilts her head, peering in between his legs. He knows that's a normal reaction humans have to animals, but it's still discomforting.

"You're very hungry," she comments as he finishes the apple. "Sometimes, I think Neville Longbottom is, too. Ever since the person pretending to be Sirius Black broke in, he's been having more trouble than usual with the passwords."

A new wave of guilt rolls through him, followed by the desire to kill Peter rising stronger than ever.

Withdrawing a loaf of bread, she sets it down, continuing, "He sticks close to the others, leaving when they leave, arriving when they arrive. I think he'd be happier in Hufflepuff."

Wondering about the 'pretending' bit, Sirius finds himself agreeing. Neville certainly has a Hufflepuff's talent and appreciation for Herbology. The little boy once smacked him when he called a sunflower a daisy. It'd been a shock; Neville was usually such an agreeable, cheerful baby. Alice had rushed over, scolding her son and apologising. 'Su-fleer,' Neville had shot back, irritably, in response to her scolds.

After that, Sirius took to referring to all plants as 'that flower' when Neville was around. Usually, Neville would look at him and tell him what the proper name for the plant was.

"Besides," she tells him, seriously, and he wonders if he's missed something, "even if Sirius Black isn't Stubby Boardman in disguise, he wouldn't let anyone see him. He'd be in disguise, of course."

He finds himself nudging her affectionately.

The irony that a Lovegood is the most rational person he's come across lately isn't lost on him. Xenophilius was constantly talking about non-existent creatures, his wife spoke a language of philosophy mixed with scientific terms, and their daughter apparently believes he's secretly a retired singer, despite all the evidence that points to him being very much the best friend of James Potter and a decade or more younger than said singer. However, she also has a very good point.

Despite what the papers say, no one spotted him near Hogsmeade. No one has spotted him anywhere, aside from the Fat Lady. He's been in animagus form ever since he escaped, only changing back that one time.

Only Remus and Peter can recognise him like this, and Peter won't be leaving his form to tell anyone. As for Remus, Sirius has been very careful to stay out of his sight.

He finishes the loaf, and for once in a long time, finally feels not quite full but not dreadfully hungry.

She scratches his ears. "I hope you find what you're looking for," Luna says. "My family was cracked, too, but as long as I have Dad, it'll never fully be broken. I hope yours is only cracked."

He rests his head on her lap, feeling a deep sympathy.

Sirius doesn't even remember Mrs Lovegood's name, but he remembers her. She was a petite witch with wavy brown hair and bright blue eyes who sat in Xenophilius's lap and spoke with a soft Irish accent. She treated Remus as a science project, which annoyed him, but Remus seemed grateful to find another person who didn't look at him with fear.

Xenophilius grew up without a mother, too. Sirius desperately hopes, if Luna has children, they won't grow up without her.

1. Pansy Parkinson

There's a little girl crying behind a tree.

Sirius hesitates.

Sensing his presence, she looks up. Seeing it's a dog, she relaxes, letting her sobs continue. She's a third year Slytherin, dark brown hair stopping at her chin, her face pug-like. She's pretty in an odd sort of way.

Carefully, he walks over to her, nudging her arm.

She hugs him, rubbing her head against his fur as she cries.

After a bit, she releases him, wiping her face and digging out a makeup case. She quickly and expertly hides all signs of her crying session. "Thank you," she murmurs, kissing him on the head.

Then, she walks away, head held high as she goes back towards the castle. Untouchable, just like he and James were, never mind that he never felt as if he belong anywhere until he met a messy-haired boy and James secretly felt as if he'd never be good enough for his parents, his house, Lily, and his baby boy.


End file.
